Drive for stoker



March 19, 1968 E. c. MILLER ET AL 3,373,618

DRIVE FOR STOKER Filed Aug. 12, 1965 4 m 5 M. tli 8 9 3 FIG. 2 JZWV/ i United States Patent 6 M 3,373,618 DRIVE FOR STOKER Earle C. Miller, Worcester, Russell C. Rivers, Boylston,

and Michael J. Ivanisin, Worcester, Mass., assignors to Riley Stoker Corporation, Worcester, Mass, 2 corporation of Massachusetts Filed Aug. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 479,189 7 Claims. (Cl. 74-87) ABSTRACT OF THE DISLGSURE This invention relates to a drive for a stoker and, more particularly, to apparatus arranged to produce an oscillation of a resiliently-mounted stoker to bring about the movement of solid fuel along its surface.

In the burning of solid fuel on a grate, it is necessary to remove the ash from time to time; definite advantages may be obtained if the movement of the fuel (and its change from unburned fuel to ash) takes place progressively from one end to the other of the stoker. A type of grate which has found increasing favor is one where the grate is mounted on resilient supports so that it is capable of being vibrated. After the fuel has been permitted to burn for a while, the grate is vibrated and the ash at the discharge end of the grate moves off the end of the grate into an ashpit, While the remainder of the fuel on the grate moves toward that end. Most of the devices for causing such vibrations, however, are complicated, expensive, and easily damaged. Furthermore, they are difficult to repair when damage occurs. These and other difiiculties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a drive which is capable of operating a vibrating stoker With a minimum of maintenance, which is simple and inexpensive in construction, and which is readily available for repair.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a drive for a stoker having a rugged open construction which is capable of long periods of operation Without being damaged.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel construction of a drive by which vibrations of considerable power may be introduced into a structure which is to be vibrated.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a drive for a stoker which can be mounted independently of the stoker at some distance from it, at which mounting position the apparatus is available for repair and maintenance.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to one of its structural forms as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drive for a stoker embodying the principles of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the drive, and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the drive.

Referring to the drawings, it can be seen that the drive, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is in use with a grate 11, mounted in a furnace 12, having a vertical Wall 13. The grate 11 is of the vibrating type Which is mounted resiliently and moves the fuel from one end to the other when it is vibrated. The drive is provided with a base 13 and is provided with an outer cover (which is not shown in FIG. 1 for the purposes of clarity) Be ,6 1 8 Patented Mar. 19, 1 968 composed at least in part of expanded metal screen to allow free flow of air. Extending upwardly from the base 13 are four posts 14, 15, 16, and 17, the post 16 not being shown clearly in any of the drawings. These four posts are arranged at the corners of a rectangle and are connected to the base 13; for instance, the post 14 extends through an aperture in a horizontal plate 18 forming part of the base and is provided with a rubber pad '19 lying above the plate 18 and a rubber pad 21 lying below the plate 18. A suitable nut 22 extends over a threaded lower end of the rod 14 and locks it in place by the aid of a Washer 23 which presses against the shoulder in the post. The other posts 15, 16, and 17 are similarly attached to the base 13 to permit slight resilient lateral motion relative thereto. The upper ends of the posts 14, 15, 16, and 17 are attached to a housing 24. This housing consists of two parallel plates 25 and 26 which are joined at their ends by plates 27 and 2.8. The plates 27 and 28 extend laterally well beyond the planes of the plates 25 and 26 to form vertical ears; for instance, the plate 28 has an ear 29. In the internal corner provided by the car 29 and the outer surface of the plate 25 is a flange 31. The upper end of the post 14 extends through the flange 3'1 and is locked in place by the medium of a washer 32, a rubber pad 33, a rubber pad 34, a washer 35 and a nut 36. The upper end of the post 14 is provided With a reduced threaded portion on which the nut 36 can be threaded and which defines a shoulder against which the washer 32 can hear. The upper ends of the other posts 15, 16, and 17 are attached in like manner to similarly located flanges associated With the ears of the transverse plates 27 and 28.

Extending between the plates 25 and 26 is a horizontal transverse shaft 20 mounted in a bearing 37 mounted on the outer surface of the plate 25 and a similar bearing (not shown) mounted on the plate 26. The outer end of the shaft 20 is provided with a double V-grooved pulley 38; furthermore, the portion of the shaft which lies between the plates 25 and 26 is provided with an eccentric weight 39.

Fastened to the housing 24 at the center of the transverse plate 27 is a drive rod 41; this drive rod consists of an inner solid bar 42 which is bolted to the plate 27 and is connected by a nut 43 to a vertical flange of a channel 44 forming part of the grate 11. On the opposite side of the beam 44 is welded a bushing 45. Pressing against this bushing and surrounding the bar 42 is a first tube 46 which, in turn, presses against the plate 27 at the other end to act as a stiffening means for the bar 42. Finally, enveloping the first tube is a second tube 47 which fits loosely in an aperture 48 formed in a sealing channel 45? forming part of the grate 11. The outer tube 47 is provided with a seal member 51 by which it is fastened to the wall 13 of the furnace and is also provided with a flexible corrugated boot 52 which is fastened to the outer end of the tube 47 and also is fastened to the plate 27 to allow the bar 42 and the first tube 46 to move longitudinally relative to the outer or second tube 47.

Extending upwardly from the base 13 is a supporting structure 53 which is provided With a generally horizontal platform 54. The platform is mounted for horizontal pivotal motion on a hinge pin 55 having a horizontal axis extending transversely of the drive rod 41 and parallel to the shaft 20. The side of the platform opposite the hinge pin 55 is apertured and through this aperture passes a rod '56 which extends downwardly and is threadedly connected at its lower end to a pivoted structure member 57. Extending around the rod is a coil spring 58 whose lower end bears against a nut 59 threaded! mounted on the intermediate portion of the rod 56 (see I FIG. 3). Mounted on the center portion of the platform is a motor 61 having a pulley 62 which is connected by flexible V-belts 63 to the pulley 38 mounted on the shaft 20.

The operation of the invention will now be readily understood in view of the above description. When the motor 61 is operating, the shaft is rotated through the medium of the flexible belts 63. The shaft 20 rotates in its bearings 37 and the eccentric weight 39 is rotated with the shaft. Because of centrifugal force, the line of the force exerted by the weight 39 on the shaft 20 will rotate around the shaft. Because the housing 24 is mounted at the upper end of resiliently-mounted legs 14, 15, 16, and 17 and connected to them through resilient pads 33 and 34, the housing will be subjected to vibration and this vibration will be transmitted through the rod 41 to the grate 11. The greatest amount of the force transmittal will take place through the bar 42 and the tube 46, while the tube 47 acts to protect these two elemeants. The boot 52, of course, permits motion of the rod 42 and the tube 46 relative to the tube 47 and the seal member 51. The tension in the flexible belts 63 may be adjusted by moving the platform 54 relative to its pivot 55. This may be done by adjusting the nut 59 vertically, the supporting pressure exerted by the coil spring 58 remaining more or less constant, irrespective of the adjustment.

It can be seen that the drive, when constructed in accordance with the present invention, provides a strong simple inexpensive device for vibrating a grate. When at the exterior of the furnace, it is in a relatively cool position and may be readily accessible for adjustment, in contrast to old constructions wherein the vibrating device was directly associated with the grate and wherein it was necessary to shut down the furnace and cool the apparatus before it could be worked on. The present drive construction assures longer service life of the components with a minimum of service.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A drive for Stoker, comprising (a) a base,

(b) a plurality of posts extending upwardly from the base,

(c) a housing mounted at the upper ends of the posts,

(d) a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in the hous- (e) a drive rod attached to the housing and extending horizontally therefrom,

(f) an eccentric weight mounted on the shaft,

(g) a support mounted on the base and including a platform overlying the shaft, the platform being hinged for movement about a horizontal axis and being provided with resilient means to bias the plat form upwardly, and

(h) a motor mounted on the platform and connected to the shaft for the rotation thereof.

2. A drive for stoker, comprising (a) a base,

(b) a plurality of posts extending upwardly from the base, the posts being four in number and arranged at the corners of a rectangle,

(c) a housing mounted at the upper ends of theposts, the housing being made up of two spaced parallel vertical plates joined at the ends by two spaced parallel vertical plates, the last-named plates extending laterally substantially beyond the first-named plates to provide vertical extensions, the extensions being provided with horizontal flanges, the top of each post being fastened to one of the said flanges,

(d) a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in the hous- (e) a drive rod attached to the housing and extending horizontally therefrom,

(f) an eccentric weight mounted on the shaft,

(g) a support mounted on the base and including a platform overlying the shaft, and

(h) a motor mounted on the platform and connected to the shaft for the rotation thereof.

3. A drive as recited in claim 2, wherein the shaft extends between the first-named plates, wherein the cocentric weight is mounted on the shaft between the firstnamed plates, and wherein the motor is connected to the shaft by flexible belts located outside the first-named plates.

4. A drive as recited in claim 3, wherein the horizontal axis of the platform overlies two of the posts and extends parallel to the shaft and wherein the upper end of a generally vertical rod extends slidably through the platform at a point on the side of the motor away from the hinge and is adjustably connected at its lower end to the base, the rod passing vertically between the firstnamed plates, a coil spring extending around the rod and pressing between the platform and a stop member intermediate of the length of the rod.

5. A drive for stoker, comprising (a) a base,

(b) a plurality of posts extending upwardly from the base, 1

(c) a housing mounted at the upper ends of the posts,

(d) a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in the hous- (e) a drive rod attached to the housing and extending horizontally therefrom, the drive rod consisting of a solid bar adapted to connect the housing to a grate, a first tube enveloping the bar and acting as a stiffening agent, and a second tube enveloping the first tube for the protection thereof, the second tube having a sealing member by which it is connected to a furnace wall through which it extends and a flexible boot by which the end is connected to the housing, so that the bar and first tube are permitted to move independently of the second tube.

6. A drive for stoker, comprising (a) a base,

(b) a plurality of posts extending upwardly from the base, the posts being four in number and arranged at the corners of a rectangle,

(c) a housing mounted at the upper ends of the posts, the housing being made up of two space-d parallel vertical plates joined at the ends by two spaced parallel vertical plates, the last-named plates extending laterally substantially beyond the first-named plates to provide vertical extensions, the extensions being provided with horizontal flanges, and the top of each post being fastened to one of the said flanges.

7. A drive for stoker, comprising (a) a base,

(b) a plurality of posts extending upwardly from the base,

(c)' a housing mounted at the upper ends of the posts,

(d) a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in the hous- (e) a drive rod attached to the housing and extending horizontally therethrough, the drive rod consisting of a solid bar adapted to connect the housing to a grate, a first tube enveloping the bar and acting as a stiffening agent, and a secondtube enveloping the first tube for the protection thereof, the second tube having a sealing member by which it is connected to a furnace wall through which it extends, and a flexible boot by which the end is connected to the housing so that the bar and first tube are permitted to move independently of the second tube,

(f) an eccentric weight mounted on the shaft, and

(g) a motor connected by flexible belts to the shaft for the rotation thereof, the upper and lower ends of the posts being joined to the housing and the 5 6 base, respectively, through pads of resilient mate- 2,982,236 5/1961 K0 Hout 198220 rial. 3,279,628 10/1966 Brouwer et a1 198220 References Cited 3,292,774 12/ 1966 Korab 7487 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FRED C. MATTERN, 111., Primary Examiner. 2,325,248 7/1943 Johnstone 7461 2, 19 04 195 j dri 7 g HUSAR, 148mm"! Exammer- 

